Please note: On a somewhat infrequent basis, Quintessential Careers asks noted
career experts five questions related to their expertise and publishes the interview
in the current issue of QuintZine,
our biweekly newsletter. Here is one such interview.
Louise Kursmark is an author, speaker, and president of Best Impression Career Services, Inc.
Q:
We've left the heady days of signing bonuses and are in the
midst of an employer's market for job-seeking. What techniques
can you offer for successful salary negotiation at a time when the
employer seems to be in control?
A:
Understand your value and know what is competitive in the marketplace.
Without this information, you are basing your salary negotiations on what
you “think you deserve” or how much you want to earn based on your last
position. Throughout the interview process, focus on communicating the
value you offer. If you can convince an employer that you bring more benefit
than cost, you’ll make the hiring decision a no-brainer. And once an employer
has decided to “buy” (hire) you, you gain an advantage in the negotiating
process. So don’t discuss salary too early, avoid being the first to mention
a number, and constantly bring the discussion back to whether you’re the
right person for the job based on “fit” and the benefits the company will gain
from hiring you.
Q:
Without giving away all your "trade secrets," can you give our readers
a little taste of how you coach clients in the art of salary negotiation?
A:
For successful negotiating, it is absolutely essential that job seekers
learn the “salary dance” - how to redirect questions about salary, how
to not answer without giving offense, and how to avoid making salary a
focal point of early interviews. They must also do their homework, as
noted in the previous question. And they must become comfortable and
confident in their answers -- which will come only through practice. Just
as importantly, they must know when they should reveal salary information
-- to whom, in what circumstances, and how to do so most effectively.
And finally, they should think about non-salary compensation, benefits,
and perks that are important to them and use these as further negotiating tools.
Q:
Opinions differ on the extent to which the economy is recovering,
and the employment picture seems to change from day to day. From
your observations and experience, just how tough is the job market
today? How can job-seekers achieve success and stand out from the
crowd in such a competitive market?
A:
There’s no question today’s job market is tough when compared to just
a few years ago. More people are unemployed, and they’re taking longer
to find jobs. But in the big picture, it could certainly be worse! There are
jobs to be found, and even in this challenging economy the average
length of unemployment is just under 20 weeks -- that means most
people are finding jobs in less than five months, which is a reasonable
period of time given the multi-step hiring process used by most employers.
To beat the odds and the averages, job-seekers should:
Have a clear and realistic focus on job objectives -- know what you
want to do, what you’re qualified to do, what the opportunities are, what
salary ranges can be expected, which companies or industries are
growing, and how your skill sets match company needs.
Develop a resume, cover letter, and interview answers that emphasize
achievement, accomplishment, and contribution to a company’s bottom line.
If you convey -- clearly, consistently, repeatedly -- how you can help a
company be more successful, and how you have done so in the past, you will
instantly communicate value that an employer will want to acquire.
Don’t rely on the Internet, newspaper ads, recruiters, or any other source
to find a job for you. That’s an unrealistic expectation in the best of times, and
when the economy is challenging, it becomes even more pie-in-the-sky. Take
responsibility for your job-search strategy, actions, progress, and direction.
Look outside the obvious channels to find opportunities and steal a march
on the competition.
Commit to an investment in your job search. You must devote time, energy,
monetary, and other resources to make your transition as swift and successful as it can be.
Q:
What's the best way to uncover job leads -- or do you advise
multiple methods? What's the best combination of methods and
what percentage of a job-seeker's time should be spent on each?
A:
As a job-seeker, you should throw a lot of lines in the water -- you never
know which one will catch the fish! Multiple methods is definitely the way
to go. Be careful to spend no more than 10 percent to 15 percent of your
time on “mass” methods such as responses to Internet postings and
newspaper ads. At least 50 percent of your time should be spent in vigorous
networking activity -- a recent survey by the New York Times revealed that
64 percent of people find jobs through networking! Combine networking with
research, and you’ll create a powerful program that will put you in contact
with people and companies that are a great match for what you have to
offer. Don’t neglect professional associations, recruiters, and college
career centers (for alumni as well as new grads), and never assume
that someone you know won’t be able to help you. Your next job could
come from the most unlikely source.
Q:
What's the biggest mistake job-seekers make that your advice
could correct or prevent?
A:
From my perspective, the biggest mistake is neglecting networking because
you don’t understand how to do it effectively or “don’t like asking friends for a
job.” Networking is a powerful tool to achieve ongoing business and personal
goals as well as essential for a successful job search. Learn to incorporate a
networking approach into all of your activities, and you’ll enrich your life and
ease your job search. You might even learn to love it.
Louise Kursmark, president of Best
Impression Career Services, Inc., provides resume-writing and career assistance to professional
and executive clients worldwide. She is professionally certified as a resume writer (MRW, CPRW),
interview trainer (CEIP), and job-search coach (JCTC) and has earned six national awards for
excellence in resume writing. She is the author of nine published and several forthcoming books
on career topics such as resumes, cover letters, and career planning and is a frequent speaker
and presenter to both industry and community groups. After graduating from Bay Path College in
Longmeadow, MA, she spent her early career in public relations before launching her own
career-services firm in 1982. A native New Englander, she has lived in the Cincinnati area since 1995.
